Out of context ...

I went to harvest some goodies for a colleague/friend this morning to surprise her with when I go to make a business delivery later today; got sidetracked for hours in the garden. I can't help myself. It's an addiction. I thought I'd just pick a few tomatoes and maybe some greens, a few berries ... stopped to pull a few weeds ...

Yeah, right! "A few weeds" turned out to be a few wheelbarrows full. They were overtaking a section of the garden that I've left unplanted this year. I needed to get them out before they go to seed. I've read that a weed left this year will plant seed for the next seven years. Hmmm ... I wonder if that's where this passage got its start: " ... it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order ... goes and takes along with it seven other spirits (read: GARDEN for HOUSE, and WEEDS in place of SPIRITS). I know I'm using the passage out of context, but either way, it's true.

I actually like pulling weeds in the garden more than I like harvesting the produce. Odd, but true, nonetheless. And it provides a true workout, complete with stretching, walking, sweating -- without a long drive to the gym. How can that be bad?

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OFF WITH HER HEAD!
(I harvested a cabbage)

I'm in the process of starting my fall garden. Yeah ... in 90-degree heat. I know! Speaking of fall gardening ... In case you never realized this, I have a picture to show another example of where you remove one, 7 will come to replace it:

















If you cut the cabbage head above the bottom set of leaves and wait, 7 more smaller heads will grow from what you've left. Easier and faster than starting new plants. Okay, so it may not be exactly 7 more heads, but you get what I mean, right?

I don't remove the broccoli plants after harvesting the large center head of broccoli, either. I leave them, and eventually there will actually be more harvest in broccoli sprouts than the main head provides. I continue to harvest broccoli from my original spring plantings -- right up until we get a hard freeze. It truly will require harvesting every couple of days to stay on top of it. We eat lots of it fresh; the excess is frozen for use in soup and casseroles over the winter months.

August is the month we get inundated with summer squash. I forced myself to exercise restraint in the squash department this year. I only planted 4 seeds of any summer squash I usually grow. Still ... tons! Absolute tons of it, even tho we've had very little rain. I think a garden is the place to learn thankfulness.

Patty pan squash is cute, but kind of a stupid vegetable. I mean, what's the point of that stuff, anyway? Last night I sliced a few up, sauteed them with onions in butter, sprinkled it all with salt, nutmeg and parmesan cheese and fresh chives. Now, that was tastier than it sounds. I will do it again some day. See? I've learned to be thankful even for patty pan squash.

It's always a challenge to use up squash when it's on a tear. If you have any good recipes, send them to me at judenow@epix.net